Song of Distress, Song of Joy
by Annasthacy Chashyme
Summary: Oz was a famous singer. But actually, he had someone as his motivation. Could he meet that person again? And what would happen if that person wasn't as simple as he expected? AU, OOC. Maybe the last chapter before discontinued. So read! Read!
1. Prologue

My newest fic... Not yet complete.

Actually this story is one full fic, but since it's too long, I decided to separate it into chapters. So there may be few strangeness.

Enjoy! ^^

* * *

Annasthacy Chashyme (c) 2010

PH (c) Mochizuki Jun

A Pandora Hearts FanFic ~AU~

Drama/Romance, T

**SONG OF DISTRESS, SONG OF JOY**

**_Prologue_  
**

* * *

"_I swear to you… Forever close to you…_"

Oz's voice echoed inside the ballroom, followed by the spectators' applause. He bowed down, said a 'thank you', and left the stage. Meanwhile, the audience yelled, asking for an encore. Their voice united into one loud voice.

"Encore…! Encore…! Encore…!"

To their surprise, Oz went up the stage once again, the music already playing behind him. They yelled again out of pleasure. Oz sang one of his most popular song, _Parallel Hearts_, very well and beautifully. His voice rang loudly, inviting the audience to sing along. When the song finally ended, and he bowed down, they made a standing ovation for that young star.

Yes, Oz Vessalius, the most famous superstar nowadays, was very sensational. He was 'found' in a talent show for his golden voice. Not only that, he's also gifted a handsome figure – oh yes, green emerald eyes, blonde hair, and cute face, no one could ever ignore this – and his acting was flawless. An actual multi-talent, which was rare these days, had been born in him.

But, who knew that he was only a nobody. His mother died in his young age, while his father literally neglected him. Only his best friend, Gilbert, knew this bitter past of him. Only he knew what hardships his friend had been through, or what kind of person he really was – without the smiling mask he always wore in front of everyone.

"Hey, Oz, you were great," Gil said. Oz just arrived at his house, and it was late – Oz couldn't get home early because he was busy with his fans – but Gil was there. Like always, waiting for him. Oz couldn't help but smiling seeing his best friend.

"Gil, you watched?" he sat on the sofa and buried his face in a cushion.

Gil grinned. "Eida is a big fan of yours. She would never miss any of your performance."

"And that includes you." It wasn't a question.

"You know her," Gil shrugged, and Oz grinned too behind the cushion.

Eida was Oz's one and only little sister. She really adored him, that's what made her so cute! Well, but it's natural, since Oz was her only relative. Oz had been taking care of her since she was born, he's more than just a brother to her. He was practically everything to her. And since Gil was Oz's closest person – other than her, of course – she also considered him as family.

After a minute of silence, Gil spoke. "Hey, Oz."

"Hmmm?"

"Do you… still remember that girl, even now?" he asked carefully.

Oz 's eyes were shot open, he put the cushion onto his lap. "Of course." His tone defensive. "She's the reason I live like this."

Gil caught that tone, and decided not to continue the topic. "Well, just wondering. No offense, dude." He stood up and walked to the kitchen.

"You're staying over?"

He nodded. "Everyone has their own problem."

"I know," Oz also stood and headed toward his room. "Make sure you don't disturb me tonight, Gil. I'm too tired." He knew it was rude to say it, but he just couldn't help it. Sometimes Gil barged into his room when he's staying, stating that he got nightmares and they ended up staying up all night. Or sometimes, he couldn't sleep and walked in round at the living room and – unintentionally, Oz knew – woke him up. The latter was more frequent.

"Hey, Oz!" Gil called before Oz closed the door.

"What is it?"

Gil remained silent, like thinking. "…Sweet dreams."

"What?" Oz snorted. "It's so not like you to say something like that."

Because he didn't reply, Oz shrugged and closed his room's door, with a _click!_ indicating he locked it.

* * *

And that's the prologue! I know it's short... And my English isn't that good. What do you think?

Reviews, please? If you appreciate this story enough, I'm going to post the later chapter.

Thanks! ^^


	2. Melody 1: Harmony of Love

Okay, I decided to post the next chappy, just to see your reaction (again) because I began to think that the Prologue wasn't enough...

Oh, by the way, from this chappy I am going to use double POV, Oz's and... the girl's. Three dots is the sign of POV change.

Well, enjoy! ^^

* * *

Annasthacy Chashyme (c) 2010

PH (c) Mochizuki Jun

A Pandora Hearts FanFiction ~AU~

Romance/Drama, T

**SONG OF DISTRESS, SONG OF JOY**

**_Melody 1: Harmony of Love_  
**

* * *

"Brother~"

"Now, now, Eida… You didn't do anything bad, did you?" Oz cheerfully carried his sister, and patted her head.

"No! Eida is a good girl, Brother doesn't need to worry!"

Oz smiled widely at her, and continued carrying her to the garden. They were at a summerhouse in the town's outskirt for Oz's holiday. A full week. It was a present from Oz's producer, Rufus Barma, because Oz had worked hard enough all this time. The summerhouse was nice, it wasn't huge but it's comfortable. Besides the air there was still clear and fresh, there was even a pond nearby which Eida liked.

"Gil, we're going to the pond!" Oz shouted to his friend who was chatting with his brother. He nodded, his face was bitter enough to make Oz chuckled.

Well, Gil and Vincent had never been in very good terms. Vincent loved Gil, but Gil seemed like dislike him for a reason. That's why Gil would prefer to avoid him all the time, but Vince was a cunning boy. He knew whatever his brother was doing. And he happened to be present when Mr. Barma announced Oz's holiday – Gil was sure his brother knew everything from the start and purposely became present there – so there was no reason not to invite him along. Really, Gil had such bad luck.

Eida hugged her brother tightly and he enjoyed it. It's been a while since he could have free time with her, so he would like to spend every little chance to be with her. He let her cuddle on his shoulder, and savor the fresh, sweet fragrance of her. Her hair - golden, like his - danced with the blowing wind but neither of them paid attention at such little matter. Besides, Eida looked so cute when her hair at mess like that. At the pond, Eida jumped off his arms and started running around. "Brother! Sing for me, will you?" she asked with a wide smile on her face. Oh well, how could he refuse?

"Alright~ What song would you like?"

"Hmmm…" she thought seriously. "I know! That song, the one you used to hum to lull me!"

Oz frowned. "But it's a sad song," he protested.

Eida shook her head. Her hair swayed as she moved her head. "It's okay, I want to hear it."

"Fine…" Oz took a deep breath, and started singing. "_Everytime you kissed me, I trembled like a child…_" His clear voice could be heard from afar, since it was quiet in that place. He didn't know a brunette girl also listened to his song.

.

.

.

A girl with long brunette hair was plucking out roses from the garden. She was the daughter of the neighborhood summerhouse. She knew a superstar was staying in the summerhouse beside her family's . She knew but she didn't care. She wasn't the type of fangirl-ing, unlike her stepsister. Sharon was already 23 but she continued acting like ten years younger. She didn't know why that silver-haired man wanted to marry Sharon. Well, he's also a freak, so maybe freaks understood each other.

'_But I'm also one, aren't I? Maybe even the worst._' She smiled bitterly. '_Because she exists…_'

She was drawn in her own mind, but soon recovered due to a voice. A very beautiful voice.

"_Gathering the roses, we sang for the hope_…"

The brunette flinched out of shock. '_This song…?_'

"_Your very voice is in my heartbeat_…"

'_There's no mistake… It's that song. But…_' she continued thinking while following the source of that voice. '_Who could it be?_'

.

.

.

Oz kept his eyes closed. '_This song brings back memories… Of those days. And that girl._'

"_Sweeter than my dreams…_"

'_Yes, indeed, her voice was sweeter than anything. If only I could meet her again._'

.

.

.

She was close. She could hear that voice very clearly now - no, she could even see the one singing. It's from a golden-haired boy. Judging from his location, he was from the neighborhood summerhouse. It meant, the superstar boy. She was going to ignore him – she didn't want to get into any business with a celeb – but again, that song distracted her. The words spilled from his mouth felt tickling inside her chest, like trying to awaken something which had been buried deep down for a long time. She tried to hold that feeling, she mustn't let that boy know about her presence! But...

"_We were there, in everlasting bloom…_"

She couldn't keep it inside her anymore. She began singing too, her voice united with his.

"_Roses die, the secret is inside the pain…_" Her voice rang high, while his was rather low, together they made perfect harmony. She closed her eyes, and she could hear the wind blowing as their background music.

She paused for a moment, while Oz continued. "_Winds are high, up on the hill..._"

"_I cannot hear you…_" her voice followed. They were good duet partners. Without talking, without even eye contact, they could sing the song perfectly and beautifully. They kept singing until the first chorus ended. "_Come and hold me close, I'm shivering cold in the heart of rain… Darkness falls, I'm calling for the dawn…_"

Both of them stopped. Silence surrounded them; the harmony was still lingering in the air. Oz opened his eyes first, amazed of his sudden duet partner. Who could know this song beside him… and _her_? For she could sing it perfectly… He almost lost his composure back then, when her voice sang along. But he could keep calm and continued singing. Now, he wanted to know who this stranger was. He walked closer to her, slowly, as if afraid to surprise her. She was pretty. Her petite figure matched perfectly with her long hair. And when she finally opened her eyes, Oz was surprised to see the violet orbs.

'_Those violet eyes… Could it be…?_'_

* * *

_

Yay! Cliffhanger! I like cliffy~ ^^

Who is that girl? Did Oz know her? Had that song possibly once again reunited two human beings?

So once again, what do you think of this fic? Please give me your review...

Thanks! ^^


	3. Melody 2: Your Soothing Voice

Well, I think I've got enough appreciation for this story, so... Here you are! The second chappy~! ^^

Some notice here:

She was crying == this is narration, using third person POV

"Yeah!" == this is speech.

'_I am happy!_' == this is thought, said in mind.

Hope you don't get confused! ^^

Enjoy!

* * *

Annasthacy Chashyme (c) 2010

PH (c) Mochizuki Jun

A Pandora Hearts FanFiction ~AU~

Romance/Drama, T

**SONG OF DISTRESS, SONG OF JOY**

**_Melody 2: Your Soothing Voice_  
**

* * *

They had stopped singing, but her eyes remained closed. '_How weird…_' she thought. '_How could I sing just fine with a stranger? Ah, wait, that golden hair seems familiar… Where have I seen it?_'

She slowly opened her eyes, and she could see him – already right in front of her – looked surprised. She thought that this boy must be annoyed at her sudden presence, not to mention she disturbed him simply by singing along. "I'm sorry," she spoke quickly. Well, she didn't like apologizing but she wanted to get rid of this boy quickly. "I have disturbed you."

That boy's eyes widened, but he swiftly changed his expression back to normal. She could catch that expression earlier though, and wondered what made him so surprised. A grin appeared on his face. "No, it's okay," he said cheerfully. "I didn't know there's a cute girl around. What's your name, Missy?"

The girl frowned a little. '_Ugh, what a sweet talker. He must be a playboy._'

"Miss?"

"Oh! I-I'm Alice. My family is staying in the summerhouse beside yours."

Once again he widened his eyes, and this time he didn't bother to cover it up. "Alice? You're really Alice?"

"Wh–what? Don't talk like you know me," she replied crudely.

"Alice, it's me, Oz! Have you forgotten?"

Alice's frown deepened. '_He knew me?_' "…Oz? Sorry, I don't think I know you." She turned her body and quickly ran over the bushes before he could respond, until he disappeared from her sight. She'd better not get further involved with a boy she didn't know!

'_What is he thinking? __I'm sure this is the first time we met, yet_—'

"Argh…!" A sudden pain struck her head. It was really painful that it rendered her unable to stand. Her body fell on the grass and she panted heavily. Her sight became blurry as the pain continued to strike, like a thousand of needles were piercing through her head. She could even barely keep her consciousness. Her eyelid felt really heavy. She knew this feeling.

'_Damn… It's her!_'

That's her last thought before she completely passed out.

.

.

.

"Brother, who was that? Did you know her?" Eida asked.

Oz shrugged a little. His face was a little sad, but he still put his trademark smile on his face. "I thought so, but… It turned out Brother was wrong." He patted Eida's head. "Eida, would you be a good girl, and go home first? Brother is sure Gilbert has grown to miss you now."

She nodded. "Okay, Brother!" She hugged him briefly, and then started running to the summerhouse. Oz stared at her little figure, his lips curved into a smile. How he loved her!

But now wasn't the time to think about it. He must find that Alice girl and ask her something. About _that_. Yes, he must make sure of it! With that thought in his mind, he turned his body to the bushes where that girl disappeared. And he yelped. Because someone had been behind him.

"WH— Alice!"

She giggled. "My apologies for surprising you, Oz, but I only wish to talk with you, after such long time we do not meet."

He frowned. "But… Just a while ago you said you didn't know me," his tone was full of confusion. '_Besides, the way she talked… is a bit different_'_._ But quickly he removed that thought.

Her eyes darkened a little. "Oh, that's… I'm sorry, I really didn't recognize you back there."

'_So that's how it is__... Well, it's been two years, for God's sake! And it's not like we properly introduced ourselves back then. It's no wonder..._' he let out a chuckle. "I see. But you really shouldn't just ran off like that, Alice," he smiled.

"Yes, I'm sorry…" she held out her hand. "Why don't we take a stroll, Oz?"

Oz happily accepted that hand, a wide smile was on his face. "You know, I'm supposed to be the one to do that."

.

.

.

Oz. It's been a very long time. She missed him. The boy she met two years ago – though at that time, she barely knew his name – also at this summerhouse. That day was still fresh in her memory. She was crying near the pond because her father, Glen, had decided to remarry. She couldn't forgive him. How could he forget Mother so easily? She knew she was being selfish, but Lacie was very close to her in her life, she couldn't afford to see Glen with another woman while she knew how deep Lacie's love for him was. Alice was crying, sobbing quietly. Then she remembered something. She rubbed her eyes dry of her tears, and began singing. She loved this song, it was composed by Glen right after Lacie passed away. It was full of Glen's love for her, and Alice found it very sweet.

That's when Oz found her. He was not a celebrity back then. He was just a poor boy who took a part-time job cleaning the summerhouse – which was used as a summer camp for a party of musical player. He heard her voice when taking a little walk nearby the pond.

She never figured before that someone would hear her singing. Oz sang along, without words. Vocalization, people said, and it was rare for someone to be able to do that, especially he just heard that song for the first time. Alice was very impressed, that her sadness left her heart without any notice. And then he clapped his hand when she finished singing, making her blushed deeply. What was that song, he asked. So she gave him the music score, and just left. She didn't want anyone to know that she cried. When she's quite far, that golden-haired bit shouted his name.

'_Oz? What a weird name. But it's nice',_ she thought that time.

.

.

.

See? It's really Alice. She's still the same. Long brunette hair, beautiful violet eyes, and pure voice. He didn't understand why she acted so differently before. '_Maybe just surprised to meet a stranger'_, he finally thought. He was really happy to see her again. The girl from two years ago, the reason he started his career as a singer. He had always wished to meet this 'Alice' girl, whose name he only knew from the music score – it was written on the paper. Because of her, he found his courage to show up, to tell the world about his talent. And now, that wish had been granted.

"Hey, Alice, I want to thank you…" he spoke.

"About what? I don't remember doing something good to you."

Oz scratched his head. "Well… It wasn't directly like that, but… I just want to thank you."

She giggled again. "Oh, okay, then. I want to thank you too… You have indirectly helped me through my problems."

"How could I?"

"Your voice that day…" she mused. "It cleared up the mist in my heart."

"Really?"

"Um!" she smiled sweetly. "Hey, would you—" She suddenly stopped, and moaned painfully.

"A–Alice! What happened?" he held her hand. But because she kept moaning, he encircled his arms around her body. He pulled her close, letting her face buried on his chest and the moan became less audible. He caressed her back slowly. "It's okay… Don't worry, it's okay…" Though he didn't get what's going on, but he said that to calm her down.

Soon, her moan stopped and he sighed out of relieve. He was going to ask her what's going on when she pulled her body a little until she could gaze upward. Her eyes widened. "Wha— Hey, let go of me!"

Oz didn't release her. "...What?"

"I said, let. Go. Of. Me!" she pulled her body with each word. When Oz finally pulled back his hand, she stood up quickly. "What were you doing, hah? Hugging me like that… I'd never forgive you!"

Oz frowned. '_She acted differently again…?_' "B–but you were in pain, so I …"

"Wait," she interrupted him. "Why am I here in the first place? I remember heading back to my summerhouse!"

'..._What?_'

* * *

Another cliffy~

.

Err, I'd like to know, should I give some reminder about the previous chappy? Or like this one is enough? Please tell me your opinion .

And of course, also give me reviews~ Maybe about typos, maybe the storyline, or anything! I'll appreciate all of them ^^

Thanks!


	4. Melody 3: Misuderstanding Echoes

Yaay after so long... The next chappy is here~!

I'm sorry for you who are waiting for this, guys (though I doubt there are any ==")

Enjoy! ^^

* * *

Annasthacy Chashyme (c) 2010

Pandora Hearts (c) Mochizuki Jun

A Pandora Hearts FanFiction ~AU~

Romance/Drama, T

**SONG OF DISTRESS, SONG OF JOY**

**_Melody 3: Misunderstanding Echoes_  
**

* * *

It's weird. And annoying. How dare he hug her like that? Who did he think he was? Damn, that celeb boy sure was acting high. Did he think he could have any girl he desired just because of that status of his? If so, she was gonna teach him a lesson!

"Now, explain to me, why am I here?" Alice crossed her hand on her chest.

"You were there! I didn't know how, but you were behind me back then! And you asked me to take a stroll around here, Alice," Oz rested his hand on his temple, obviously confused.

Alice frowned again. "Don't call my name so friendly," she muttered while musing. '_Hmmm… I recall the pain when heading back to the summerhouse… And then I'm suddenly here. Does it mean…?_' She tilted her head a little, and glanced to the boy in front of her. "Hey, you… Oz?" He lifted his head and stared back to her. "Have we ever met before?"

He also frowned. When he answered, his tone was full of frustration. "First you said you didn't know me, and then you came to me saying you missed me, and now you ask whether we've met or not? What's wrong with you, Alice?"

'_Well, now it's clear_,' she thought. "Oz," she called. "I think who you met just a while ago wasn't me."

Alice could see his frown deepened. "What do you mean? It obviously was you!"

"If I said it wasn't me, then it wasn't!" she stubbornly replied. "We don't know each other, so I don't have any business with you! Don't ever bother me again!" After saying that, she once again turned her back to Oz and walked away. But this time, she didn't do it hurriedly.

'…_Are you satisfied now? Alyss?_'

.

.

.

Oz was stoned. He couldn't say anything. She was _very_ weird, wasn't she? He couldn't find out why though. He mused while wandering back to the summerhouse, where Gil and Eida had been waiting at the balcony.

"Oz, where have you been? It's past lunch time, and you just come back!" Gil took swift steps towards him – swift, considering Eida in his arms.

"Eh… Uh, I'm sorry, Gil," he grinned. But he knew that Gil knew something's off. So he quickly added. "Nothing's wrong, I was just too fascinated in the pond's beauty."

Gil, having been close to him for years, grasped Oz's guilty tone. But since he said it's okay, then he wouldn't push him to tell everything. He knew very well that Oz preferred to keep his problems by himself – though he regret this – and chose to believed in Oz. "Well, you can tell me anything you want, Oz," he stated while pushing that golden-haired boy into the summerhouse. "For now, let's have lunch, shall we? Eida has been waiting for you."

Oz took Eida from Gil's arm into his. "Really?" She nodded. "Why? If you're hungry, you can eat first, Eida…" He carried her into the dining room. Vincent was not there though, looked like he had lunch early.

"Eida wants to be with Brother~" she rested her head in the crook of Oz's neck.

Oz smiled, a little bitterly this time. That's right, he had left her alone at home most of the time, so it's natural if she wanted to be with him, even for the least important matter. "Alright~ Brother will eat with Eida~"

And so Oz, Gil and Eida had lunch together.

.

.

.

"Alice! We're sorry, we had lunch first… We hope you don't mind," Sharon said when Alice entered the summerhouse.

"It's okay, I'm not hungry afterall. I'm skipping lunch," she walked towards the stairs, wanting to lock herself in her safe, comfortable room. But Glen's voice stopped her. "Alice, skipping meal is not healthy. Now go eat your lunch."

Without turning her head, she answered. "No, thanks. I'm not hungry."

"You're a glutton, it's shocking that you're not hungry. I thought you could never feel enough," his tone was a little mocking, and it ignited Alice's anger.

"Oh, you mean don't like if I'm a glutton? Yeah of course! Because I just wasted your money and time! Wouldn't it be great if you just get rid of me? You have a better daughter, remember? You don't need to take care of me anymore, and you don't need to be irritated by my similarity to Mother!" she shouted.

Glen narrowed his eyes. "Watch your mouth, Alice."

"The hell about that! You didn't even teach me _anything_! Mother did all that, and when she's gone, you just walked away and marry some other woman!" she yelled at the top of her voice. After that she panted, out of breath and emotion began swirling inside her chest. She realized a drip of salty water was on her cheek, and she quickly rubbed it off. She ignored Sharon's and Glen's order to stop, and stormed into her room. She locked the door, even pulling some chairs and bookshelf and placed them behind the door, preventing anyone to break through.

Back in the living room, Sharon half-heartedly scolded her step-father. "Glen… You know she's a delicate girl! You can't say something so recklessly! You see what happens if you do."

Glen rubbed his temple. "I know, Sharon… I've scolded myself enough, you don't need to add it." He rested his head on the back of chair. "Lacie… Forgive me…"

"It's no time to dwell in sadness and guilt now, I believe~" the usual playful tone of a certain white-haired man startled Glen and Sharon. A man with crimson eyes suddenly appeared from beneath the tea-table.

"Break! I told you to stop that, especially in the presence of my Father!" Sharon scolded her husband-to-be.

"My apologies, but this is an urgent matter~"

Glen knew immediately it had something to do with his daughter. "What happened to Alice, Break?"

"Well, I believe she's not in her room anymore, Mister Glen~ I saw someone with much resemblance to Miss Alice just now, like running for her life outside~"

"WHAT?" Glen quickly stood and head toward the glass-door. There, almost outside of his periphery of his sight, the familiar brunette hair flowing back. He gasped. "ALICE!" He tried to chase her, yes Break was sure he was, and he stopped him.

"Break!"

"Please forgive my behavior, Mister Glen, but I suppose we should let her go for now. Don't you think it's better to let her cool her head down?"

Glen didn't agree, but he also didn't decline. It's a good sign. He was actually as stubborn as his daughter was. _'And it's very difficult to deal with them'_, Break sighed.

* * *

Very short... T.T

Looks like Oz's and Gil's relation didn't look too 'vague', eh? No BL for this fic, okay? So get rid of your wild imagination there, I apologize if the previous chapters made it so.

Glen is a little OOC here, I know... And I was really out of idea for Alice's angry ramblings, so that's all I could do :(

So, whaddya think? Would you please reviews?

Thanks~! ^^


	5. Melody 4: When Truth is Sung

...oh, wow. Can't even count how many months I have left this untouched :sweatdrop: I wanted to say it's discontinued, but too lazy to even open my account. And here I am, reading throughout my folder and found there's actually a (or two) continuation of this fic. So it's not yet discontinued.

Okay please just hit me, I know I'm a pathetic author...

Anyway, enjoy! ^^

* * *

Annasthacy Chashyme (c) 2011

Pandora Hearts (c) Mochizuki Jun

A Pandora Hearts FanFic

Drama/Romance, T

**SONG OF DISTRESS, SONG OF JOY**

**_Melody 4: When Truth is Sung_  
**

* * *

Oz just exited from Eida's room when he saw the bushes moved, as if someone was behind them. He wanted to check it, but Gil called him. "Oz, do you have a minute?"

He turned his body and faced Gil now. "Of course, what is it?"

"About today…" Oz's body stiffened a little. He didn't want Gil to know about that girl, not yet.

"…yes?"

"Did something happen? At the pond, after Eida left?"

Oz tried his best to keep his face cheerful and carefully answered with innocent voice. "What do you mean, Gil?"

Gil sighed. "Oz, please don't keep secrets from me. Something _did_ happen, right? Eida told me there was a girl back then. And I think her features resembled the one you met two years ago. Was it really her?"

He now couldn't keep his mask anymore. He let his eyes wander, looking at anything beside Gil. "Ehm… Well, kind of…" hi warily replied.

"Kind of? What do you mean? Yes, or no?"

"Uh, well, I'm still not sure…" he felt Gil's eyes on him. "Gil, please, this is not serious matter. I can handle it, okay? I'll tell you once it's settled." Oz didn't bother to wait for his reply, and quickly turned his body to the door, disappeared into behind the bushes, leaving Gil sighing harder.

.

.

.

She hated it. Tears were just proof of weakness, that's why she hated it, but now she's shedding tears all over her face. She didn't like being weak. She must be strong, so that Lacie wouldn't need to worry. It had been like that. However her body didn't respond to her heart's scream to stop. Her tears kept flowing, no matter how hard she tried to rub it off.

Knowing she couldn't stop the tears, she sat down at the side of the pond. She decided to wash her face with the pond's water. When looking into the water, she gasped. She saw the reflection of her face, yet... it was not _her_.

'...you.'

Her reflection smiled sweetly. 'Yes, Alice... It's me...'

'What do you want?' Alice asked shortly.

'Alice... I know you were hurt by Father's words, but please... Do not be so crude to me. I was hurt as much as you were. We are one, afterall.'

Alice pouted. 'I don't want to talk about that.'

The one in the water smiled again. 'Oh, Alice, how I miss you...'

'Miss using my body, you mean?'

'Alice!'

'What? That's true! You just surfaced a moment ago and met that boy using my body!'

'I know I'm not supposed to do that, but... I wanted to meet him so badly, Alice!'

"Yeah, and you made me looked pathetic, Alyss." She unintentionally spoke aloud.

Her reflection, which she called Alyss, sighed. 'Alice, of course I didn't mean that... I couldn't keep in the surface too long, and—'

"Alice?"

Alice flinched. Someone heard her talking? She turned her body, to find Oz standing near her. "...Oh. It's you again."

"Alice, did I hear it wrong or you just talked to someone?"

She suddenly grew uncalm. "Uh... Can't you see? I'm alone here, so there's no way I'm talking to someone." She glanced to the water, Alyss was still there. '_Uh-oh. If he found out, he would think I'm a freak'_. "Hey, why are you here? Are you following me? Some stalker you are."

She hoped Oz would get irritated and leave, but he did exactly the opposite. He leaned closer, and looked closely into her eyes. Having his face so close to her made her blushed a bit. She quickly turned her head, avoiding his crystal-like green eyes. "Wh–what?"

"You cried," he bluntly stated.

.

.

.

He was half surprised, half excited. He didn't expect to meet her again in such short time. But something's bothering him. The way she sat... the way she looked into the water... As if there's something inside the pond.

"Yeah, and you made me looked pathetic, Alyss."

Oz frowned. He didn't see anyone around her, yet she's talking? To who? Alyss? He finally decided to greet her.

"Alice?"

She looked very surprised. More to... dislike. Because she was disturbed from her thought, maybe? At normal situation Oz would have apologize, but this time he didn't care. He found something strange on her face... Yes, it's her eyes. They were swollen. And red. If a girl had this symptoms, then it could only mean one thing. "You cried."

"Sh–shut up!" she awkwardly leaned back and tried to cover her eyes without drawing much attention. Well, to her bad, he was a perceptive boy. Nothing escaped his observation. He quickly grabbed her hand, despite her struggling, and pulled her into a hug.

Oz didn't know what to do if someone cried, but he remembered Gil hugged him and Eida when their Mom passed away. It was warm and calming. So he thought a hug filled with love and care was the best cure for sadness.

At first Alice kept struggling, but soon she stopped. Oz's chest felt hot and wet, and he realized the girl in his arm cried again. He tightened his hold and let her cry as much as she wanted. He rested his chin on her head. Her body was shaking, but Oz's arms held her steadily. As more tears she shed, the more Oz found his chest hurt. '_This girl... Her heart is broken. How long has she hidden it?'_

"Oz..." she choked. "Oz..."

.

.

.

Was it Alice? Or Alyss? Even Alice herself didn't know. She would prefer saying it was Alyss – as she was more timid and girly – but she couldn't deny that it was her full consciousness who cried in his arms. Uh, okay, so it was _both of them_. Who knew she could cry like that? The last time she met Oz, she was also crying, but it wasn't _Alice_. And he didn't hug her.

Right after her sob stopped, she pulled herself, but didn't let go of his arms. She stared at his face, while he gently placed his palm on her cheek, caressing it and rubbing her eye with his thumb at the same time. "Are you going to tell me?" he asked.

Alice was quiet. She reached his hands and slowly pulled them from around her body, then she placed them on her lap. She didn't let go, instead she played with his fingers. "Are you willing... to listen?" she replied with a voice no more than whisper.

He nodded.

Before continuing, Alice took a deep breath. 'Alyss... Do you mind if I tell him?'

An encouraging voice rang inside her head. 'It's your choice.'

"Well..." she started. Oz tilted his head a little to show his interest in her story. Good sign. "I am... Alice."

"I know," he answered softly.

"But sometimes, I'm not."

Oz's fingers stiffened. "I don't understand..."

"I... have an alter-ego. Her name is Alyss."

* * *

Yeah, an update after so long... with a cliffhanger. Hit me, c'mon, hit me.

But still, thanks for reading. If you want to hit me, leave a review :D

Thanks~ ^^


	6. Melody 5: Happy Hum

Updates~ Updates~ Sorry for the wait ^^

Enjoy, shall we?

* * *

Annasthacy Chashyme (c) 2011

Pandora Hearts (c) Mochizuki Jun

A Pandora Hearts FanFiction

Drama/Romance, T

**SONG OF DISTRESS, SONG OF JOY**

**_Melody 5: Happy Hum  
_**

* * *

She must be kidding. He wanted to say that, but he was afraid he might hurt Alice. Afterall, if you think about it, it made sense. Her exactly different behavior between short time gap, her swaying acknowledgement of him, and her strange behavior at the pond.

"Uh, and when she's trying to surface, you get sudden headache?" he asked.

Alice's eyes widened. "You're surprisingly smart, aren't you? You could grasp it in such short time," she said in amusement. "Well, yes, that's what happen if she forces her way through."

His lips curved into a smile. "May I ask? How did it start?"

"Hmm..." she mused. "Well, she's actually my twin, but she died right after birth... I suppose her soul didn't leave, but resides within me..."

"Does your family know about this?"

"Yes... Thus I'm a 'delicate' girl for them." she answered bitterly, and Oz knew something's wrong with her family too. He caught her chin, and lifted her head gently until her eyes met his. He stared at her for few seconds, and she understood what he meant. "...it's nothing. I'm just being... selfish."

"I would like to know the whole story, Alice." He quickly added because she looked annoyed. "That is, if you don't mind."

"...there's no way I'm telling a stranger." He was shocked. He thought she had trusted him!

"I know, Alice, but..." he's at loss of word.

"What about this?" she interrupted. "I will tell you, at a certain cost. You have calmed me down today, so the story about my alter-ego was your prize. If you want to hear the whole story, you must do something as payment. How does it sound?"

He was amused at her idea. "Yes, it sounds good! I will be here for the next six days, so let's see if I can have the whole story!" he replied cheerfully. '_This girl is far more interesting than I thought..._' he smiled at his own wry mind.

.

.

.

'Are you sure about this, Alice?' Alyss's voice echoed inside her head.

'I am.'

'What made you think like that? Do you trust him or not, actually?'

'What do you mean?'

'If you really trust him, you could just spit it all out. But you didn't. Does it mean you still don't believe in him? He's a nice, kind man.'

'What, Alyss?' Alice snorted. 'You fell in love with him already?'

'A–alice! You don't need to think about unnecessary stuff!' If Alyss was a visible person, she must be blushing deeply now. Alice chuckled at this thought. That boy really changed her world. She went home with a smile on her face, chuckling by herself like a freak – even though Oz offered to walk her home, she refused – and kept smiling even when Sharon welcomed her. After that she was sent to her room immediately without further scolding – Alice was sure it's because she acted nicely, she knew her family couldn't afford to scold her if she smiled all the time – and there she was, chatting with her other self in front of a mirror.

This is the first time she ever laughed freely like this, at least after Lacie died. Maybe because she had cried? Truthfully, she felt lighter after shedding all those tears. It felt like her burdens flowed out along with her tears. 'You should thank him', Alyss reminded her.

'...I know'.

.

.

.

Oz merrily swung his legs back and forward. The memory of Alice in his arms was very fascinating! Her sweet fragrance, her silk hair, and her soft skin was all in his mind for now. And he even got the chance to know her better! It's like a dream came true. His wish to meet the girl who made him success like this had been granted.

'Alice and Alyss...' he thought of the names. 'I wonder which one I met two years ago?'

"Hey, Oz, you look happy."

"Gil! Yeah, something good occurred..." he grinned.

"Really? Then will you tell me what it is?" Gil sat down on a chair next to him. He offered a tin of cookies which Oz accepted happily.

Oz inserted a cookie into his mouth, and bit it with a loud sound. "Uh-huh! You know Gil, this is the place where I met _her_, right?" Gil nodded. "Aaand, you know what?" he paused to swallow. "I met her again!" he finished his sentence with a tone like having won a lottery.

Gil widened his eyes in disbelieve. "You did?"

He nodded with all his strength.

"Whoa, that's a surprise. No wonder you're acting all happy and cheerful," he said as he bit a cookie too. "So, she... What was her name again...?"

"Alice."

"Alice, she... did she also recognize you?"

Oz swallowed his cookie suddenly, so he choked on it. He coughed hard, trying to release the cookie in his throat while Gil anxiously got him a glass of water. When he finally stop coughing and drank the water, Gil looked at him suspiciously. "Why are you so shocked?

Oz coughed a few times again. "Shocked? I'm not!"

"Ha, don't try to fool me. I know you well, Oz."

'_Oh, yeah he does... Sometimes it's good to have an understanding friend but... sometimes it's annoying,'_ he thought. Gil impatiently repeated his question. "Well? Did she?"

"Uhm, that... _Kind of_... I guess?"

"...you've used that answer twice today, Oz."

Gil's short reply pierced through him. He gulped, and scratched the back of his head nervously. He opened his mouth to answer, but Gil spoke first. "It's unlike you to hide things from me, but considering your happy behavior just now, I think the matter isn't really big so I shall let you off the hook this time. But the moment you come home with distressful face, I'm gonna make you spit it out." He left Oz by himself in the living room. Oz once again lost his ability to speak, and after roughly ten seconds, he started laughing.

'_It's good to have an understanding friend!_'

* * *

Umm, well, at this point... Maybe, and this maybe is a strong one, this story will go discontinued. No, I'm not kidding, I haven't continued this story for, like, half a year. You understand, right? So... yes, once again, I'm sorry, but this story might get discontinued.

Farewell for now. Hope I can see you again.

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review...


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